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September 06, 2006

Fight For the Internet Freedom Heats Up

John Nichols in The Nation:

Net Neutrality, which has until now been the guiding principle that preserves a free and open Internet, ensures that everyone who logs on can access the content or run the applications and devices of every site on the world wide web. The neutrality principle prevents telephone and cable companies that provide internet service from discriminating against content based on its source or ownership...

The Anchorage Daily News concluded that, "Net Neutrality is hardly a heavy-handed government intrusion into the free-wheeling world of the Internet. It is a simple antitrust rule that protects consumers by keeping Internet companies from exploiting their control over connections. Congress should get ahead of the curve and ensure net neutrality before abuses begin to spread."

That's the right position. And it is summed up by a measure that the Senate should pass before its members go out and ask Americans for their votes this fall: The Internet Freedom Preservation Act. Sponsored by Maine Republican Olympia Snowe and North Dakota Democrat Byron Dorgan the act would provide meaningful protection for Net Neutrality.

While the machinations in the Senate this month are troubling, they also provide a critical opening for the debate that America should be having on media policy. No incumbent senator or candidate for a senate seat should be allowed to make it to November without addressing the issue of Net Neutrality and the broader question of whether media policy in this country should serve a few telecommunications giants or the the great mass of Americans and the great potential of American democracy.

More here.

Posted by Abbas Raza at 05:42 PM | Permalink

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Comments

Whereas the Chicago Sun-Times looks at the same issues, and concludes that a new pack of red tape isn't justified, at least not yet.

Moreover, the "content discrimination" charge is a red herring -- there's nothing to it. The telecom industry has all pledged to not do that. And if they did, of course it would bring the regulators right back. I understand why people might be nervous about it, but a wait-and-see approach is still more prudent.

Full disclosure: I work with a company that is part of the Hands Off coaltion opposing these new laws. I'm not unbiased, but I'm not a shill, either. Cheers.

Posted by: LookMaNoHands | Sep 7, 2006 3:42:31 PM

"Moreover, the "content discrimination" charge is a red herring -- there's nothing to it. The telecom industry has all pledged to not do that."

Disney's "The Path to 9/11" proves that content discrimination is a very real threat.

Posted by: Terry | Sep 8, 2006 11:26:57 AM

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